Our Verdict

Updated Model in 2018
REI just updated this tent to be lighter and taller. Read more details below. Last year's version may be on sale for $30-40 less.

If weight is a low concern, the Half Dome is by far the most comfortable tent for the money. It has a spacious interior and very thoughtful design s very comfortable and has excellent ventilation and interior storage. It has four kick-stand vents, large vestibules, and the whole tent is super roomy. It stood up well to wet weather but did not come with enough guy lines to keep the fly off of the inner tent, causing some moisture to get in. The Half Dome's stakes are low quality (although this is a $10 fix) and the tent did not come with enough for each guy point. These things make the Half Dome more susceptible to bad weather. If you don't need the extra space and want to save $20, consider it's sibling the Half Dome 2.

Looking for a lighter REI tent?

If you want something lighter and are willing to pay more, check out the Quarter Dome 2, which weighs three pounds and five ounces, packs smaller, and is still fairly livable. At $349, compared to the Half Dome's $219 price tag, the Quarter Dome has a 40-inch peak height with almost 29 square feet of floor space. Campers and backpackers with a tendency to count ounces may want to check out this sister tent from REI.

Our Analysis and Hands-on Test Results

Review by:
Jessica Haist and Jess McGlothlin

Last Updated:
Wednesday
January 17, 2018

Share:

Updates for 2018: Lighter and taller
In 2018, REI updated the Half Dome Plus. Its trail weight is now 3 ounces lighter and it's peak height is 2 inches taller. The floor square area was reduced by 2 sq feet or about 6%. Click on the photo below to compare the specs of the 2017 model (left) with the 2018 model (right). The main review below reflects our assessment of the 2017 model and shows photos of that model.

Specs for the 2017 Half Dome Plus (left) and 2018 model (right)

Below you can see the 2018 model on the left and the 2017 model on the right. The biggest difference is the vestibule shape. In the 2017 model, the vestibule flapped in the wind. It appears the 2018 model was designed to address this with 2nd guy point on the vestibule.

The 2018 model on the left and 2017 model on the right. Notice the different vestibule design.

This is a great value for splitting up with one other person while hitting the trails, or as a car camping tent, as it is super roomy and luxurious. This would be a great choice for a new family, an occasional backpacker, someone who's extra tall, or a couple with a dog.

Performance Comparison

The REI Half Dome 2 Plus scored high in several of our performance metrics while maintaining an affordable price tag, earning it one of our Best Buy awards.

Comfort

This where the Half Dome 2 Plus rises above the competition; in fact, it was the only contender in our lineup that scored a perfect 10 out of 10 for comfort. The 2 Plus model has added an extra 10 inches in length and four inches in width over the standard REI Half Dome 2 and is roomier than the second largest interior of the NEMO Galaxi 2.

Think this is a significant amount of space and allows for much more stuff to fit inside — or just room to spread out your stuff. It has two large roof pockets, two small side pockets, and two large vestibules that give you an extra 20.4 square feet of covered storage space.

The Half Dome 2 Plus offers the roomiest interior of all the tents we reviewed at 38.1 square feet, and the vestibules add 10.2 square feet of space. The extra space does come with a weight penalty.

The extra length could be the difference between a tall person's feet touching the end of the tent and getting wet from condensation — or not.

The Half Dome 2 Plus has huge vestibules.

The Half Dome 2 Plus has lots of mesh for ventilation, but also nylon panels in areas where there is more tension for reinforced strength, like at the top cross pole point and by the doors. We like the extra headroom this pole design offers over the Eureka Midori 2's simple cross pole construction. Its four kick-stand vents in the top of the fly keep the air flowing in the tent but the rain out. Other top scorers include the NEMO Dagger 2, Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 mtnGLO, The North Face Triarch 2, and NEMO Galaxi 2, with the cheapest tent in the review at $160, the Alps Mountaineering Lynx-2, taking home an 8 out of 10.

We love all of the storage options in the Half Dome.

It also comes in several snazzy color selections this year so you can choose if you want bright red, teal, or a more subtle earth tone color — we chose teal.

The Half Dome 2 plus has clever storage pockets for the door flaps.

Ease of Setup

Although the three-pole construction looks complicated at first, we found it be intuitive and, after a bit of practice, quite easy and quick, earning a 9 out of 10 - the highest score in the review. It's almost as fast to set up as a two-pole design like the NEMO Galaxi 2. Two large, bulky hubs connect all three poles, one across the top and two down the sides. They have color-coded ends that match the webbing with grommets at the bottom of the tent body. Once you have the pole ends inserted into the grommets, everything else is pretty standard for setup.

Set up is intuitive and we found that we enjoyed putting it together, especially after a long day. It was the only tent in our review to score a 9 out of 10 for ease of set-up. The pole easily clicks into place (into the grommet).

The Half Dome 2 Plus earns high scores in the ease of setting up metric. REI has created a tent that is intuitive and not only luxurious, but a breeze to set up.

We like the Half Dome's cord locks on the vestibule doors, but have difficulty getting the vestibule doors guyed out properly. The fly always looks a little floppy and is not as taut as we would like for weather and wind protection, the same problem we had with The North Face Triarch.

The Half Dome 2 Plus is adaptable in that its size allows for more flexibility. You can squeeze three small people inside in a pinch, or bring your 6'5" friend along with no problem. There is extra length so if you bring your furry, four-legged friend along, they can sleep at your feet. The Half Dome does have a fast-pitch setup option, but that requires you to buy a separate footprint. We are not crazy about this setup, and we talk about the follies of fast-pitching in our Buying Advice Article.

The ease of set-up is intuitive and we found that we enjoyed setting this tent up. It was the only tent in our review to score a 9 out of 10 for ease of set-up. The pole easily clicks into place (into the grommet).

Weather Resistance

The Half Dome 2 Plus fared pretty well in our Weather Resistance category, as noted in the chart below.

It's challenging to guy out because it does not come with enough cord for each guy point and its geometry seems slightly off. For some reason, the vestibule doors never seemed to become taut. No matter what angle we staked the doors, they flapped in the wind. The fly will touch the inner tent on the ends unless you add your cord to stake it out. It's less weather resistant than it could be if we could tighten all the guy lines and make the fly smooth and tight. The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 comes with all the guy lines you need already attached. Without any upgraded cord, there will be a lot of flopping of the fly in the wind and condensation from the fly touching the tent body. We also noticed that water tends to pool on the roof of the Half Dome when the kickstand vents are open.

The vestibules are not as taut as we would like for weather and wind protection.

All that said, it did keep us dry in wet weather, though having the ability to guy it out properly would make us feel more confident about having it in high winds and less than vertical rain storms. The Tarptent Double Rainbow is much less reliable in the wind than the Half Dome. The structural weak point of the Half Dome tents is the plastic hub where all the poles meet. It's challenging to repair a pole if it breaks at that end, or if the plastic piece itself is damaged. Our testing found that the Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT, complete with an extended vestibule, was the most weather resistant tent in our review, earning the only perfect 10 out of 10 in this metric (which comes at a price). Lower priced options with a higher level of weather resistance include the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV, Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 mtnGLO, Marmot Catalyst 2, and the Half Dome Plus.

Durability

As with the other budget tents in this review, the Half Dome 2 Plus has lower quality, polyurethane coated fabrics that are more susceptible to hydrolysis. As long as you dry and store it properly, this should not be a problem for the first few years of its life. If you like what this tent is about, at $219, you can buy a second Half Dome Plus for around the price of one of the higher scoring tents (or three for the price of the Anjan GT).

The Half Dome's materials are relatively durable but heavy, using strong 75 Denier fabric and quality poles. The Hilleberg Anjan 2 GT's materials are of much higher quality and will last longer, as will the Big Agnes Copper Spur, Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 mtnGLO, NEMO Galaxi 2, and Marmot Catalyst 2.

The Half Dome 2 Plus has lots of mesh for ventilation, but also nylon panels in areas where there is more tension for reinforced strength like at the top cross pole point and by the doors.

Weight and Packed Size

Weighing a hefty 5 lbs. 7 oz., this award winner is one of the heaviest tents we tested. The only heavier tent was the NEMO Galaxi 2 at 5 pounds 8 ounces and the Alps Mountaineering Lynx-2 at 5 pounds 13 ounces. The lightest tents in our review were the Tarptent Double Rainbow and Big Agnes Fly Creek HV.

The Half Dome 2 Plus' is bulky, at 7 x 21 inches. The bulky plastic pole hubs contribute to this sizeable packed size. We would not want to carry this item on our backs for extended periods of time, but splitting it up with one other person is a cheap solution that allows you to have a comfortable backpacking tent on the trail. Split up among two people, the 5 pounds 7 ounces becomes more manageable and has a budget price tag.

The Half Dome 2 Plus' packed size was towards the lower end of the totem pole.

Best Application

Our tester's favorite application for the Half Dome 2 Plus was on a horse-pack supported trip! We would also recommend it for car camping or any camping where you won't have to carry stuff too long or far. That said, we know people who bring this on the AT! The 2 Plus version of the Half Dome provides extra space for tall people, families, pet owners, or pack-rats. The 2 Plus is also great for short backpacking trips — especially if you have one or two friends to help carry the load!

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV, REI Half Dome 2 Plus, and the NEMO Dagger 2 are out for a girl's weekend backpacking trip. While are three are coveted for offering a fair amount of weather resistance protection, we found that not only did we feel protected, but we were beyond comfortable.

Value

The Half Dome 2 Plus is a great value and the space-to-weight ratio is even better than the REI Half Dome 2. This tent and the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2 are the best bangs for your buck of all the backpacking tents we tested, which is why they both win one of our Best Buy Awards.

The interior of the Half Dome 2 Plus - this is a luxury tent at a budget price.

Conclusion

This is the most luxurious tent in this review with its extra space, plentiful pockets, and excellent ventilation. It kept us dry in the rain but would benefit from more guy lines and stakes. We recommend purchasing better quality stakes and additional cord. The Half Dome 2 Plus's value can not be beat, especially when you're looking for a tent that has extra interior room and storage space. We give it a Best Buy Award for being a livable, affordable tent.

The Half Dome 2 Plus wins our Best Buy Award for its extra spacious interior and thoughtful construction -- it provides the most bang for your buck.

—
Jessica Haist and Jess McGlothlin

Where to Buy?

Thinking about buying some gear we've reviewed? Help OutdoorGearLab out if you do. Just click on any of the above seller links and if you make any purchase, the seller will contribute a portion of the sale to help support this site. It won't cost you anything extra, and it's a simple way to help us fund our testing and reviews. Thanks!

I purchased this tent a couple of years ago, thinking after all the great reviews, and with REI's hefty reputation at its back, that it would be a good tent. The tent leaked from the seams and the floor fabric from the first time I used it. Any dew or moisture from the ground would seep straight in to the tent and wet my bags and sleeping mat. The zippers both broke within three months of use. It was also heavier than other tents in the price range, and what they say about not having enough tent pegs is true - it's pretty frustrating when you're out there trying to peg out the fly and realise there aren't enough pegs included for the product. I was volunteering in Chile for a year, and when I contacted REI about my problems, I received several automatic email responses, and was repeatedly told that unless I could go into a store personally (there aren't any in Chile, or post the tent in (I was using it at the time), they would not be able to help me. When I have had problems with other gear from different brands in the past, photos of the issue have been sufficient for store credit or replacement. It is by far the worst tent I've had - it looks good at first, but it is not made to last.

this is what I'd wake up to every morning after a dry night. When it rained, it was obviously much worse.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this product to a friend.

Have you used this product?Don't hold back. Share your viewpoint by posting a review with your thoughts...